GOD AND HIS SON JESUS
Several years ago I realized I didn’t know Jesus as well as I wanted to. I’d been taught a lot about relating to and praying to God, but Jesus somehow got bypassed. I’d been taught that it was Christ in us but not how to connect with Him as a real person. I couldn’t help questioning, “If He is our brother, shouldn’t we be able to talk to Him? We don’t have to go through our parents to talk to our human brothers, so why should it be different with Jesus?”
In Acts 2:36 we’re told that God “made the same Jesus, both Lord, and Christ.” Hebrews 13:8 tells us it’s “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” We read in the Gospels that when people came to Jesus, they called Him “Lord.” When the disciples talked to Him both before and after the resurrection (John 20:26-21:25), they also called Him “Lord.” Should we do any less?
The Greek word for “Lord” here means “supreme in authority; by implication, Master (as a respectful title).”
According to Romans 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
I was born again when I was about eight years old. But it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I consciously realized I wasn’t doing such a great job at being my own master. I went back to Jesus, confessed that I was a mess and I needed Him to not only rescue me but be my Lord in guiding me in life. He was here on earth and experienced everything we’ll ever face, so He knows how to handle every situation, and he can guide us through. But sometimes we slip up a little in that category. We direct all our prayers and communication to God Almighty and leave Jesus out.
I was reading Acts 7 about Stephen: “And they stoned Stephen calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (v. 59). In the King James Version of the Bible, whenever a word is in italics, like the word “God” in this verse, it means that the translators added it. Since the word “God” was added to the original text, we can take it out, and the verse reads: “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” And guess who was standing right there? Saul of Tarsus!
“The witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul” (v. 58). Saul heard Stephen speak to Jesus.
Later when Saul was on his way to Damascus “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1), a light from heaven shone, and Saul fell to the earth, and everyone there heard a voice. When Saul asked, “‘Who art thou?’ The Lord said, “‘I am Jesus’” (v. 5). When Jesus Christ spoke to Saul, it didn’t surprise him at all because he had been there when Stephen talked with Jesus.
When Saul got to Damascus, the Lord Jesus told a regular disciple, Ananias to talk to Saul.
“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 9:17).
Isn’t that awesome?! There are many more verses in the Epistles that document a real and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul tells the Corinthians: “Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” (1 Cor. 9:1). Peter writes: “Even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me” (2 Pet. 1:4).
I’m not trying to direct anyone away from praying to God Almighty, our Father, and the kind of relationship we have with Him. I’m saying that our relationship with our Lord Jesus can grow as well.
I learned a long time ago that my secular work is directed and orchestrated by Jesus Christ. That realization wasn’t an instantaneous revelation. It didn’t come in a dream or audible announcement or anything flashy. I prayed to God about it; then one day I just knew it in my heart that Jesus was the one in charge of my work. I knew that secularly He would supply the jobs and the money I needed to live and pay the bills and do what I needed to do.
Every time I was out of work I consciously went to Jesus, expecting direction as to what’s next and I thanked Him for what He was arranging. In this category of my life, I know that God wants me to trust in the directions of His son Jesus Christ.
First Timothy 1:12: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”
I believe that there is a wonderful balance in our spiritual lives, things that God handles with us and things that our Lord Jesus handles and the Holy Spirit as well. We have all the help we need at our fingertips, closer even than breath itself.
Love, Carolyn
This preach letter is part of my second WINGS book. I’m currently working on its second edition. It’s going to be much better now 😊. At the end of each chapter I have some Questions. These are the ones for this chapter.
QUESTIONS AND EASY CHALLENGES
1. In addition to praying to God as your Father, do you talk to Jesus Christ as your Lord? How often would you say?
2. Name three or four Bible figures who spoke with Jesus after He was raised from the dead. Document with scriptures relating to these encounters.
3. If you haven’t talked much with the Lord Jesus, name some possible ways you might begin to acknowledge Him more often in your daily life.
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